Making Music

In your editorial of Nov. 30 regarding the San Diego Symphony (“Time to Back Off a Bit”), you expressed the need on the part of the musicians to give the Symphony Assn. one more chance. The history of the symphony has been for the musicians to give the association many chances to weather the many financial storms.

The association is continuously calling for fiscal responsibility, which is a management function. Reducing wages as a cost-saving method does not, in itself, demonstrate fiscal responsibility on the part of management.

Further, you call upon the management to retreat from Music Director (a management position) David Atherton’s requests for increased authority “regardless of the merits of these proposals in the abstract.” Labor negotiations are not abstract. Working conditions and employee/employer relations are usually as central and frequently more critical issues in labor disputes than financial issues. Since the musicians have a long history of economic sacrifice, the labor-relation issue should be investigated and publicized.

Finally, the question is, Should we give the association another chance? This refrain has been heard by the symphony supporters for years. Maybe it’s time for a new and aggressive management team, not a continuation of the fiscally irresponsible and inflexible leadership that has lost credibility with the people of San Diego.

DAVID L. LOWENSTEIN

Chula Vista